Column: Undefeated Fenton boys basketball team has potential to make long run in state playoffs this season

Fenton player Mitch Shegos prepares to defend the Swartz Creek point guard in the fourth quarter. (Lauren Justice | MLive.com)

The Fenton boys team huddles during a time-out in the fourth quarter. Fenton High School's boys basketball team plays Swartz Creek at home Friday, Feb. 1. Fenton defeated Swartz Creek 69-45 in the MLive Game of the Week. (Lauren Justice | MLive.com)

FENTON, MI – With less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter, Fenton coach Tim Olszewski smartly yanked his starters from the boys basketball game versus Swartz Creek on Friday night.

Their services were no longer needed.

The student section cheered loudly, giving the Tigers a standing ovation to congratulate them on their 14th win in a row. Fenton won: 69-45.

This year’s Fenton basketball team is the real deal. Their undefeated, 14-0 record only tells half of the story. It’s that killer instinct to finish off teams once they have built a lead is what’s most impressive.

Against Swartz Creek, Fenton closed the game on a 22-10 run. Complacency isn’t an issue. That mentality could lead the team far in the Class A state playoffs in March.

“We don’t ever want a letdown and we want to take it one game at a time and matchup with them and say we can beat them and work hard,” said Fenton senior Cory Cox who scored a game-high 22 points versus Swartz Creek. “We say the only team that can beat us is ourselves and if we go out there and do the things we can do, we feel we can beat any team we step on the floor with. That’s our motto whenever we matchup against a team.”

Last year’s district championship group reached new heights for Fenton’s basketball program and that momentum continues to carry over into the current squad. Olszewski is now reaping the benefits of developing young players to adapt to his varsity system right away once they’re called up.

“We help the kids develop at a younger age and then they sift right in,” said Olszewski. “We have James (Claborn) back next year and four other guys back next year and we just look to continue to build. We haven’t won anything yet this year and we will get back at it and not look over anybody.”

Although the Tigers haven’t received much love in the state rankings, they continue to gain respect from their opposition. Swartz Creek has lost twice this season to Fenton but tipped its hats to the better team.

“They do the little things so well,” Swartz Creek coach Scottie Wright said. “Our kids better respect this team. They haven’t won over 30 league games in a row because they just magically played a bunch of teams that weren’t any good. They’re fundamental and they do all of the little things well.”

Fenton’s success is proving that the Flint Metro League can compete with other competitive conferences in the area. For many years the Metro League was considered inferior to other more well-respected conferences but teams like Fenton and Swartz Creek are a testament of the new shift in power. Twelve of Fenton’s 14 victories came against Metro League teams but the other two were picked up against Saginaw Valley League programs.

Swartz Creek has no reason to be down about the loss. A 10-2 record isn’t bad for any team but Fenton is chasing a fifth straight league title and the convincing win over Swartz Creek put the Tigers in sole possession to capture another championship. Fenton expects to clash with Swartz Creek again later in the season.

“Our goal is we will get to see (Swartz Creek) in the regional finals and I like where we are at and the position we are at,” Olszewski said. “If we get a couple more wins we can get a fifth straight title, it would be nice. Moving forward, we want to win another league title this year.”